Del Webb artists to the rescue

The best art display in Manteca can be found in the council chambers at the Civic Center.

After months of no art work gracing the wall behind the council dais, Bill Barnhart stepped up and arranged for artists residing in Del Webb at Woodbridge to offer up a piece of their work to grace the council chambers.

The Manteca City Council led by Mayor Pro Tempore Debby Moorhead showed their appreciation Tuesday by presenting individual resolutions and city lapel pins to each of the artists. Thanking artists publically wasn’t something that was done in past years.

The audio from the new state-of-the-art audio system at Tuesday’s Manteca City Council meeting was better.

The only audible drawback was when a member of the public addressed the council and he wasn’t leaning forward into the microphone.

That said the video monitors reminded one of old Godzilla movies where the lips of the actors moved out of synch with the dialogue. In this case it looked as though there was a second or two lag between the video and the audio.

Last week motorists were stopped at the stop sign on Powers Avenue at Hutchings Street when a bicyclist came up along their right side and then turned in front of them.

The bicyclist didn’t even look. Instead he was self-absorbed in a conversation he was having on his smartphone held to his ear with the other hand on the handlebars.

Another wild

ride in Manteca

The scariest curve in Manteca for the unexpected is what one hopes is the temporary transition from the old Frontage Road to the new pavement alignment with Crestwood Avenue as part of the Lathrop Road interchange work.

The uneven and odd tilting pavement has caught more than a few drivers off guard even after they’ve slowed down.

There have already been a number of close calls and at least one T-bone accident at the new intersection with Crestwood Avenue.

Neither of the two southbound lanes on Frontage at the new intersection have arrows. Instead motorists are left with the impression both lanes can head onto Crestwood which is set up only for two-way traffic.

Some have suggested a four-way stop during construction might slow things down.

At any rate, once the new four-lane bridge is open expect traffic speeds to pick up. Toss in the possibility for a big jump in truck traffic on Lathrop Road and one hopes the city has a game plan in mind to keep travel along the Lathrop Road corridor safe.